Wokingham Borough Council’s Sensory Needs Service (SNS) is reaching out to residents who are visually impaired, d/Deaf, hard of hearing and Deafblind to ensure they are aware of the valuable support their service can offer them.
The SNS team, which include staff able to communicate in British sign language, is available to assess the needs of residents and provide help and support which, for the visually impaired, may include mobility training and help with kitchen skills, movement and orientation, as well as providing them with information about services within the community.
Support is also available for those with hearing loss, as well as those with dual sensory loss, who may be struggling to come to terms with acquired hearing loss as well as those managing conditions such as tinnitus.
The SNS team work in partnership with the council’s Technology Enabled Care (TEC) team to ensure that those with sensory needs have access to specialist equipment that could make their lives easier and enable them to remain independent within their home. In addition to this the SNS and TEC work together to ensure integrated equipment such as alerts for carers and falls alarms are made available to meet resident’s sensory needs.
The team also work with other departments across the council to support those with a sensory impairment that may also have other needs such as physical disability, learning disability or mental health issues.
“I am proud of the practical and emotional support that our sensory needs service provide our residents, providing them with an enhanced quality of life while allowing them to feel more independent and empowered”, said Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services.
“I would encourage anyone who is visually impaired or hard of hearing, or anyone who knows someone that is, to contact the team and see what assistance they can offer them”.
For further information about the Sensory Needs Service you can pop along to their drop in session on the last Friday of the month, 9am-1pm at the Council offices at Shute End , Wokingham.
Alternatively you can contact them on 0118 974 6896 or email sensoryneeds@wokingham.gov.uk
